Broken Minds
by TheladyWolf
Summary: Sasuke loved Naruto… he was his world he was what kept the Uchiha sane through all these hard times. But when Naruto dies, Sasuke refuses to accept what they are telling him. His world, his life, his sanity… he can't be dead. Sasuke refuses to believe tha
1. Chapter 1

TLW: Another story idea just came to me. I try not to fight them, so here is one that I hope that you guys will enjoy…sorry about the delay with the others stories, but, I am trying to make sure that I update them all. Don't know if this will be a long story, so we will see were it goes. Enjoy –bows-

Oh yeah, OCCness ok? Some language too, um…m/m sort of. So don't like, don't read.

Summary: Sasuke loved Naruto… he was his world; he was what kept the Uchiha sane through all these hard times. But when Naruto dies, Sasuke refuses to accept what they are telling him. His world, his life, his sanity… he can't be dead. Sasuke refuses to believe that Naruto is dead, even if it means he has to be insane to be happy.

Disclaimer- Believe me people, if I did own them I would be rich off Sasuke/Naruto yaoi. Since I am still poor, guess I don't own them.

Ages:

Naruto: 22 years old.

Sasuke: 22 years old.

Other characters (like rooky nine) this age too, 22.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

Broken Minds

Chapter 1. The shattering of one's world.

Sasuke was frozen.

'This has to be a dream' he thought as he looked at the sight before him.

"Naruto" he gasped and caught the boy as he started to fall back. In his chest, 'in his heart' Sasuke thought, was a katana that went cleanly through Naruto. He lowered the boy down to the earth.

"Naruto" he cried, his eyes becoming full of tears at the sight before him. He didn't even care about the man who stood before him; Naruto was the one who he needed to focus on now.

"Oh my Naruto" Sasuke whispered as he gently stroked the blond boys cheek.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke heard their friends yell at the sight before them.

Some how the man had disappeared, Sasuke didn't care though.

He felt numb.

He careful pulled the blade out of Naruto, trying not to hurt his love anymore.

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered the words, so soft that Sasuke had to lean down to hear them.

"Naruto you need to rest, give Kyuubi a chance to heal you, then you can do all the talking you want. A-a-and then I'll treat you to so much ramen you'll become sick of the stuff." He gasped, trying to hold back the tears.

Naruto coughed, blood came out of his mouth and spattered Sasuke on his face.

"K-kyuubi can't…" Naruto gasped, "t-t-too much lost blood" he smiled at Sasuke as tears started to roll down his face. Sasuke quickly pulled off his shirt and pressed it to the bleeding wound, the shirt quickly became soaked a deep crimson.

"I'-I'm scared Sasuke, I don't want to die…" another fit of coughing plagued the boy before he had enough breath to speak again. "So much left…undone, but that's ok, because I-I'm with you at the end." The tears washed away the dirt from his face, washing Naruto's blood off his face as they fell to the ground, being absorbed into the cold earth.

"Stop saying such stupid things Dobe" Sasuke snapped, refusing to acknowledge what was happening, he refused to believe it.

Naruto was NOT dying.

"Thanks…Teme, for always being there for me, you made me so happy…" Naruto smiled, his eyes seemed to be fogging up a bit as he breathing became less and less.

"Naruto don't do this to me! Don't leave me all alone, I'm nothing with you out, please, please Naruto! Just stay awake a little longer." He shook Naruto, hopping to keep the boy awake, to keep him alive.

"Poor Sasuke, I'm sorry. I'-I have to go, their waiting for me." He smiled at Sasuke before he pulled the unresisting Uchiha closer, before Sasuke knew what was happening Naruto had kissed him softly on the lips. Then he murmured something in his ear that made Sasuke gasp.

Naruto fell back down and reached for Sasuke's face, placing his hand on Sasuke's cheek. Sasuke held that hand in place with one of his own, covered in Naruto's blood.

"I don't mind waiting for you" he whispered smiling, as tears flowed from his eyes, making the boy's blue eyes stand out even more as the light in them faded. Only Naruto could make tears into diamonds.

As if in slow motion, the hand slipped from Sasuke's and fell to the ground, where it lay unmoving, like Naruto's chest.

Like Sasuke's heart.

He heard the others running over, as he held Naruto in his arms refusing to accept this.

'H-he's sleeping. Naruto is just sleeping' this was the excuse that his poor mind was giving the boy to cope with what was happening.

"Y-y-you just sleep for now Naruto…ok? When you wake up, everything will be ok, s-so just sleep ok?" He smiled as he held Naruto's head on his shoulder, rubbing his back.

"Yeah, everything will be ok"

* * *

"How has he been?" Kakashi asked Sakura as they looked into the room where Sasuke sat…with Naruto.

They had tried taking the body of their dear friend away to prepare him for his funeral, but Sasuke had panicked, pulling out a knife and keep them at bay. Saying that Naruto was sleeping and that they were to leave him alone because if he didn't sleep then he wouldn't get better.

After an hour of failing to get the body, they had convinced Sasuke that Naruto would sleep better in the hospital.

So that's were they were.

Sakura sighed, "He won't except that Naruto's dead. He's talking to him as if Naruto is still alive!" She wailed, tears pouring out of her at her fallen teammate.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head; he had known for a while that Sasuke loved Naruto. He had told him to tell the fox, but Sasuke had refused, saying that he didn't want to lose Naruto if he confessed.

But now it was too late.

Kakashi walked into the room, watching Sasuke as he talked to the cool body of his love in his arms. He heard what he was saying as he got closer to them.

"-and you have to stay at my house till your better. Now, now, Naruto don't whine. I have been wanting you to live with me for a while now. So once you better we can go and do all kinds of things together." Sasuke tilted his head to the side, listening to the voices only he could hear.

"Of course there will be ramen; it's all my Dobe eats after all." Sasuke was smiling as he stroked Naruto's cheek, his hand running through the golden locks. He hands were still lightly covered in the blood from earlier, though he had washed Naruto's face, he couldn't stand the sight of Naruto's face being dirty.

"Sasuke…" Sasuke turned when Kakashi said his name, his eyes were unfocused.

"Yes Kakashi?" he asked.

"I need to borrow Naruto; the doctors want to see him for a little while." The ninja replied, he hated tricking his student, but he needed to get the body away from the boy.

Sasuke's eyes suddenly became full of anger.

"Why the hell would they need to do that!? I told you guys, he's just sleeping! Are you fucking deaf or something?" Suddenly Sasuke looked at Naruto.

"They want to take you away from me! Of course I would get mad…Naruto please; I don't want them to take you away." He held the body closer.

Kakashi sighed as he left the room. He really didn't want to have to take Naruto away from Sasuke, but it looked like they would have no choice.

He was letting the boy suffer by staying in his delusions.

* * *

Sasuke sat in the chair in the hospital room, the sun looked beautiful, like Naruto's hair, though Sasuke thought that Naruto's was more beautiful.

He looked over at their lunch 'stupid nurse' he thought. He had asked her to bring some ramen for Naruto but she never did.

He didn't want his love to go hungry, but when he tried feed Naruto, the boy wouldn't eat. He knew why too, Naruto only ate ramen.

"I'm sorry" he cooed to the boy, "as soon as we get home, I will make you some ramen right away, you must be hungry."

"Sasuke" Neji stood in the door way, some of the other guys were behind him. He could see Kiba, Shikamaru and Shino.

'What are the guys doing here? Don't they know that Naruto needs his rest?' Sasuke thought.

The group slowly walked into the room and surrounded Sasuke and Naruto.

"How is Naruto today Sasuke?" Neji asked as he slowly moved closer to him, the others followed his lead.

"I told you guys he is-" Sasuke started to say.

"NOW!" Neji yelled and before Sasuke could do anything, Naruto was taken out of his arms by Neji while the rest of the guys held him back before he could stop the Hyuuga from taking his love.

'No! He's leaving me!' Panic swept through Sasuke's mind. He fought against the boys that held him. He had to get him back from Neji.

"Naruto!" he yelled.

"Sasuke, this is for your own good."

"We do this because we care"

"This is what Naruto would want"

Meaningless words. That's all they were to Sasuke, so he just fought harder till a nurse rushed in and gave Sasuke a sedative.

'No…must get…Naruto back' he thought as the drug started to take effect.

"There, he should be fine now. He needs to accept that Naruto is gone."

"Poor Sasuke"

"He'll thank us for this later, for pulling him out of his delusions."

Meaningless words. That's all they were to Sasuke,

_I love you…you're my most precious person Sasuke…_

'Naruto… don't leave me' Sasuke thought as he started to see black.

As he lost the battle Sasuke felt the tears leak from his eyes, he only hoped that when the darkness took him, it would take him to where Naruto was.

'Naruto…I love you.'

* * *

TheLadyWolf: Ok, ok. Here is the situation, this story has been on my mind for a while, don't think it will be long, maybe 3 or 4 chapters. So I hope you guys like the start of it, so please, please, PLEASE, review. Also check out my other stories, and my poll at my profile, tell me what you think of those quotes on the page too. : 3 Till we meet again in this story or another…. 


	2. Chapter 2

TheLadyWolf: Oh. My. Gawd. I'm Alive! Trust me people this is a shock to me too. Sorry about taking forever, but I have been busy lately, and I try to update all my stories in a certain order, so that might explain why it takes forever with some chapters. XP so anyway, enjoy this chapter, only a few more to go…I think .

Disclaimer: Damn I wished I owned them, they would be so pwnd! .

Ages:

Naruto: 22 years old.

Sasuke: 22 years old.

Other characters (like rooky nine) this age too, 22.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"_Memories"_

'**Naruto's voice'** you'll understand later on.

* * *

Chapter 2. Oh what a tangled web of lies we weave.

_Sasuke and Naruto sat on the top of a grassy knoll, the torn up ground behind them, displaying signs of their battle. Naruto was lying on the ground looking up at the clouds, resting his head on his arms that were folded beneath it. Sasuke was leaning up against a tree; enjoying the quiet after his exhausting workout with Naruto._

_It was times like these that Sasuke really enjoyed, just spending time with Naruto and not having to worry about anything._

_(1.) "I think you know, because I told you, the people you love, are hard to find. So I think if I, were in your shoes, I would be kind."_

_Naruto suddenly said, breaking the silence surrounding them, he was looking at Sasuke with something in his eyes that Sasuke refused to understand, or acknowledge. He didn't want to lose the only person he cared about because he presumed too much. But that didn't stop the flame of hope inside, not matter how hard he tried to smother it._

"_I'll look out for you; come rain come shine, what good does it do? I guess I'm a toy that is broken I guess were just older now." Sasuke looked at Naruto, trying to figure out what the boy was trying to say._

"_I want to stay another season, see summer upon this sorry land. Do you think I will Sasuke?" Now Naruto had his eyes closed and looked to have fallen asleep, but that assumption was proven false when Naruto spoke again._

"_I wonder…at the end of it all, were will I go?" Then he spoke no more._

Two weeks later Naruto was dead.

* * *

"How is he? It's been over a year hasn't it, and he still hasn't left the hospital has he?" one of the nurses whispered to the other as they both peered into the Uchiha's room.

Sasuke sat on the window sill looking outside, not really seeing anything. He was lost in his own world were Naruto was still alive and people weren't lying to him by saying otherwise. They still refused to let him see Naruto, but he kept hoping that he would be able to find his room and get him out of here. He just needed to keep waiting and believing that, other wise he didn't know what he would do.

The first few months of his stay he would rant and rave, breaking things and threatening the nurses, demanding for information to Naruto's location. But that soon stopped when he realized that his efforts were proving for naught when the yielded no results. So he was just waiting and hoping that soon enough they would just give in and let him see him.

The others had visited, asking when he was going to leave and how they all missed him. He had just ignored them; they were all traitors in his eyes.

'They fucking took Naruto away from me, and they just fucking expect me to forgive them? Not in this life time.' Sasuke thought angrily.

Kakashi still came to visit though and was probable the only one who could get a response out of him. But even that was rare.

Sasuke sighed as he grew bored of his room and walked out of it to wander the halls. It wasn't like the nurses would stop him, they knew better to, plus he would always come back, so all they had to do was wait. Sasuke touched his neck to make sure the Naruto's head band was still around his neck. The dobe would be pissed if he lost it.

He always made sure to wear it, and nobody was allowed to touch it, when a nurse had foolishly touched it when she was moving things, Sasuke had attacked her, and it was only by luck that Kakashi and Sakura had been there to stop him from killing at the women. They told him that he had been yelling at her for trying to take his last connection to Naruto away from him.

He was in a daze, ignoring the voices around him. There words mostly noises, ghost just with voices, Naruto's words in his memory, were like music to him. (2)

He paused as he saw a flash of yellow; he turned and gasped at the sight before him.

"Naruto" he whispered.

* * *

Kakashi hurried towards the nurses desk, he had just been informed that Sasuke had not returned to his room and he was no where to be found. As soon as he had been told this he had dropped everything and rushed over.

"Kakashi!" a nurse said, relief in her voice from the sight of the one eyed man. He was a common visitor so everyone knew him.

"What happened?" he asked as met the nurse half way as she was talking to him. She grabbed his arm and started to lead him towards were Sasuke's room was.

"we don't know were he is! He always comes back at dinner time but no one has seen him for hours, yet they say that he hadn't left the building. We've looked everywhere but we don't know where he is! We hoped that you would be able to." They were in front of Sasuke's room; Kakashi peered in, just to make sure the boy hadn't decided to wander back in when no one was looking. But all the room showed him was its bare white walls and a potted sunflower sitting on a chair.

Kakashi sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. Sasuke had never accepted Naruto's death and continued to believe that everyone was lying to him and that Naruto was going to come back. They had stopped trying to tell him when all they got was a hysterical Sasuke who would need to be sedated to calm down. Plus there was the fact that when the boys who had taken Naruto away from Sasuke came to visit Sasuke had gone berserk, breaking, throwing and smashing things at the boys. They hadn't visited since.

Kakashi focused his senses and tried to pinpoint Sasuke's chakra. His was unique, so it wasn't too difficult to determine his location.

"I know were he is, come on, lets go get him." Kakashi started to follow the chakra, which led him to the children's ward strangely enough. Kakashi had once asked the nurses what Sasuke usually did in his day at the hospital and they had replied saying that Sasuke would just walk around ignoring everybody and then come back to his room for dinner and then go to bed. Of course he would ask if he could see Naruto now, which they always said no to, and then he would stomp to off to bed.

So needless to say that the sight before them was quiet strange.

Sasuke was sitting on a bed holding a little boy in his arms; he was also talking to him. He was talking more then in all the months of his stay here. Kakashi wonder what had brought this sudden change in the boy when he heard what Sasuke was saying.

"…I knew they were lying, they kept saying you were dead but I knew otherwise. I'm so glad your ok Naruto." Sasuke murmured, hugging the boy to him.

"Sasuke" Kakashi said, breaking the silence. Sasuke and the boy both turned to look at the intruder. Sasuke suddenly smiled.

"Look Kakashi, I found Naruto!" he said proudly, as if he accomplished something difficult and wanted praise for his actions. He turned the boy gently to face his ex-teacher.

Kakashi could see were Sasuke saw Naruto in the young boy. He had blond hair like Naruto, if a little darker, he also had blue eyes but they weren't dark enough. Somewhere Sasuke had found a marker and drawn on the boys face, making the unique whisker marks of Naruto. Around his forehead Sasuke had tied the head band on his brow. If you looked past the pale skin and the slight differences in the boys face, you would almost think that it was Naruto.

_Almost._

But in the end it wasn't him. Kakashi had been there for the funeral so he knew that Naruto was truly gone from them.

"That's not Naruto Sasuke." Kakashi said firmly, as if talking to a child and telling him no. No matter how much you wanted to say yes.

'I'm sorry Sasuke but you have to wake up and realize that he isn't coming back' Kakashi thought.

The smile from Sasuke faced dropped for a moment, before coming back.

'I hit a nerve' Kakashi thought as he watched Sasuke hold the boy closer.

"Kakashi, maybe you need a new eye but this _is_ Naruto, why don't you just admit that you were wrong and that you guys have been lying to me." Sasuke growled, though the smile remained on his face.

Kakashi snapped.

"Sasuke, stop living in your fucking illusions already. Naruto is dead and gone and nothing or no one is going to be able to change that no matter how much we may wish otherwise! Stop making yourself go through this over and over and come to terms with it already, we all have! So why cant you!?" Kakashi yelled, months of grief, sadness and anger coming out.

Sasuke said nothing as he held 'Naruto' closer to him. Trying to comfort the child after his fright with Kakashi's yelling. He felt he was holding on by a thread and slowly the string was becoming unwoven before his eyes, any second now he felt he was going to snap from the strain of it all.

"I don't want to be alone, all I ever had…all I ever wanted was Naruto. If he's gone, I have no purpose, what's the point of living if he isn't? Why are you trying to destroy my reason for living with your lies Kakashi!? Why!" he suddenly yelled. He was shaking as he held the boy closer, burying his face on the boys shoulder. The boy seeing the man who had been kind to him sad gently stroked his hair.

Sasuke relaxed into the touch as he remembered a long ago memory…

_He was lying under a tree sleeping in the gently spring breeze while the Sakura trees petals slowly fell to the ground in a spiraling dance. He had always thought that it was the petals death that truly showed their beauty, as they slowly fell to the ground._

_He sighed as he felt someone stroking his hair, gently brushing it away from his face. He leaned into the touch, enjoying what they were doing and the gentleness of their actions. He wondered if this was a dream, as he slowly opened his eyes to see Naruto sitting beside him, his back against the Sakura tree and gently running his hands through Sasuke hair._

_Sasuke closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, not waiting his awakening to stop Naruto's actions._

He never did ask Naruto if he knew he was awake.

* * *

Sasuke seemed to sink into an even deeper depression. He wouldn't even leave the room now and the nurses had to watch him to make sure he was eating his food. All he ever did was just sit by the window and water the flower.

But that always changed when the young blond boy would come to visit. Then it seemed as if a switch had gone off in Sasuke, as he would suddenly seem to come alive at his presence.

Kakashi had discovered that the boys name was Akito, though Sasuke always called him Naruto. Even if the nurses, doctors and Kakashi said otherwise. But Akito didn't seem to mind and just let Sasuke call him that.

When the boy was around, Sasuke would eat with out being forced, talk in actual sentences instead of grunts, and smile. Though everyone saw how his eyes would glaze over, replacing the boy with another in his eyes and mind.

Then one day, Akito never came back… Sasuke had found out later that he had been there for a heart surgery and that he had died.

It would be years till Sasuke spoke again.

* * *

"_Sasuke, don't you ever get lonely living in that house all by yourself?" Naruto asked as they sat at the ramen stand, Naruto eating enough for the both of them._

"_no, not really" Sasuke said. 'Not when I have you to keep me company' but he didn't say that out loud._

"_don't you get lonely Naruto, at your apartment all by yourself?" Sasuke asked him in turn, wanting to see what his answer would be._

_Naruto paused in his movements, the chopsticks holding the noodles pausing before his mouth._

"_No, not really, not when I have bastard like you to keep me company." He said proudly before going back to his eating. Sasuke hid his smile behind his own bite of food.

* * *

_

It was after many years of silence that Sasuke finally spoke. The doctors were shocked, because, even though they were glad that Sasuke was speaking, he was talking to nothing.

* * *

'**Sasuke... I love you'**

* * *

TheLadyWolf: There! From the feeling of it I think I have one chapter left to go, so please tell me what you think of it, I will try to post up the ending as soon as possible so please, please, _please_ review and you might actual see it sooner. Seeing as this is just about done I might actual update this before the other stories! So I hoped you all enjoyed it.

These are some song lyrics from the song, "Broken Toy" by Keane. Go listen to it, you might actual like it. :3

These are from snow patrols song "Set fire to the third bar" though with both of them I did change them a little to go with the story.

Also, just so you guys know, I don't own ANY of the words from those songs that I used, just letting you know cause the wolf doesn't want to get sued! –Nods head- :3


	3. Chapter 3

Here is the end many of you had waited for and I deeply and sincerely hope it was worth the wait. To tell you the truth this had been typed a long time ago but the file was lost after I had finished and I had felt very discouraged by its lost. But now, having redone it, I am kind of glad that I waited, I feel that this is much better than how it would have turned out before. –The lady Wolf

p.s. If the beginning and the end seem a little different, I feel my writing has changed a little bit in the past few years, though I can only hope that it's for the best.

Ages:

Naruto: 22 years old.

Sasuke: 22 years old.

Other characters (like rooky nine) this age too, 22.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"_Memories"_

'**Naruto's voice'**

The beginning of the end**  
**

Sasuke lay there, looking up at the ceiling and counting the cracks and connecting the lines. He was very bored and waiting for Naruto to visit.

'Which he seems to be taking his sweet time about' Sasuke thought, irritated at having to wait.

He closed his eyes and just lay there as a cool breeze from the window blew in; he shivered and wrapped his arms around himself to keep warm. Winter was coming.

He opened his eyes and looked at his sunflower, that plant was dying more each day, not being able to live in the cold. Plus its time was near.

Sasuke gazed at it, sad that his plant had to die in order to be reborn each year.

He had been at the hospital for over 5 years now.

'**Sasuke…'** a voice whispered to him.

Sasuke closed his eyes in bliss at hearing his voice, even though it wasn't too long ago that they were talking, it felt too long to him.

"I missed you, where were you?" he asked.

'**I'm sorry…were you lonely?'** it asked.

Sasuke tried to hide his irritation at the question once more being avoided. Naruto never told him were he went, and Sasuke was very frustrated by it, he feared that each time Naruto went away, he wasn't coming back.

"Yes, you know I never like it when you leave." He whispered.

He sighed as he felt a gentle hand stroke his hair; he loved it when Naruto did this.

"_Naruto…" Sasuke looked over at the blond next to him. They were walking on their way to the training grounds to spar._

"_What's your view on life? What is it that we really live for?" he asked._

_Naruto paused in his steps, his face serious as he thought over his answer carefully._

"_Precious moments" was his answer._

"_Precious moments…what the hell kind of answer is that? That's what life's all about?" Sasuke snapped, angry at Naruto for not taking this question seriously._

_He didn't see the punch coming as it plowed into his face, knocking him to the ground with a thud from the impact and a grunt from him._

"_Damn it teme, I am being serious. Were born, we live, and then like every other fucking thing out there, we die. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, but if were lucky, we have moments, moments that if your lucky you get just get one." He held his index finger to Sasuke's face, "just one wonderful moment that makes you feel warm and loved. And when you think about them, your like, 'damn, I'm so glad I'm alive' and it makes another day worth while. That's what's worth living for, because not everyone is granted those moments." He held out a hand and pulled Sasuke up, who was thinking about what Naruto had said._

"_Then…where are mine?" he asked._

_Naruto had smiled at his question and continued walking, and for a moment Sasuke thought that he wasn't going to answer, then he paused and turned to look back at Sasuke._

"_Guess well just have to find you some, ne, Sasuke?" _

And that's what they had done; they had spent so much time together, laughing, fighting, eating, and just plain living. Naruto had kept his word, and now Sasuke had those moments to call upon, and smile…_ 'Moments that makes you feel warm and loved' _he had said.

'_**I'm sorry Sasuke…'**_ it whispered once more, the hand still petting his hair.

"It's ok; I will always forgive you anything Naruto." He murmured as he fell asleep.

* * *

"You want to WHAT!?" The voice screamed at Sasuke. Tsunade could not believe hear ears, after receiving a letter that the Uchiha had requested her, Tsunade had decided to humor him and actual visit the boy, just to see what he wanted.

"I want to be reinstated as a ninja" he replied calmly, as if stating that the end of the world would be wonderful.

"Sasuke…" Tsunade rubbed the space between her eyebrows, "why now? What has made you want to come back to being a ninja after all this time, you haven't kept up with your training or anything! Plus I can't have you attacking you teammates, that would defeat the purpose of you being on our side if everyone who worked with you got injured or maimed." She snapped.

Sasuke let her rant, he knew that she had a valid point in her words, be now that he had Naruto, it didn't matter so much anymore.

"Naruto said it would be best for me if I became a ninja again. He said that I should do something, instead of just lazing around on my ass all day. Like he's one to talk, if he could get away with it, he would be as lazy as Shikamaru." Sasuke chuckled at this.

Tsunade had to keep her jaw from hitting the floor, there was no way that this could be the same boy would beat up anyone who dared to even walk into his room with out permission. The same one who hadn't talked for years, and yet here he was _laughing_.

'_And what's this about him saying that Naruto told him to become a ninja again…' _she wondered.

"I'm bored, and I figured that if being a ninja makes Naruto happy, why not do it?" he asked, smiling at her.

Tsunade was starting to get a little freaked out by this, though the others had told her of Sasukes 180' in personality change, she really hadn't believed it. If she didn't know, she would have thought that this guy was an imposter for the real Uchiha.

She really did wish that the boy was himself, or at least not immersed in his delusions. But from what the doctors had told her, apart from talking to air, Sasuke acted like a regular human, talking to the nurses, reading, and sometimes even writing. He was healing, just not in the way he was supposed to.

"Alright Sasuke, I will see about reinstating you, but you have to be under a 7 month observation as your out and about. We have to see if you're truly back to normal, then I will consider giving you some missions." Though she was reluctant to, Tsunade couldn't let someone as skilled as Sasuke go to waste.

Suddenly Sasuke leaned to the side, as if listening to something thing. He nodded his head and then sat up straight and faced Tsunade who had raised her eyebrows at his actions.

"Naruto says to say thank you for giving me the chance…old-hag" Sasuke seemed reluctant to say that last bit, as if he was forced to, but that didn't stop the smirk from coming to his face and him turning back to talk to Naruto.

"I told you she wouldn't like it" Sasuke said to the air.

Tsunade just shook her head, wondering if she was making a humongous mistake.

* * *

Sasuke quickly rushed through his house, he had been living here for about a month now and didn't mind it as much as he used to. He finished brushing his hair before grabbing a piece of toast from the toaster and then grabbing his weapons.

'there's no way I'm letting that dobe beat me to the training fields' he thought as he ran out of the house. Right away he felt the anbu assigned to watch him follow him. If he wanted to he could lose them, but decided that it would be better if he was on good behavior for a while.

After speeding through out the town he made it to the training grounds and landed, gasping for breath.

'I really am out of shape' he thought. He looked up into the sky as the sun shone in his eyes.

_Sasuke looked up when suddenly the sun was blocked, and a shadow fell on his face. He forced one eye open and gazed at the smiling blond idiot before him._

"_Dobe, what do you want?" he asked, trying to sound annoyed by his presence._

_Naruto just grinned and fell beside Sasuke without a word and lay there beside him. "Nothing" he said, smiling and closing his eyes as he seemed to fall asleep._

_Sasuke watched as some of the leaves fell from the trees, drifting a bit before landing on the ground. One landed on Naruto, right on his forehead, not even fazing the boy who seemed to be asleep._

_Sasuke reached out ant gently took the leaf off of him. Twirling it between his fingers._

"_Sasuke?" Naruto asked, starling the Uchiha with his voice._

"_Yeah?" he responded._

"_What would you do if you had dreams that seemed almost too real to be a dream?" Naruto asked, keeping his eyes closed._

_Sasuke looked over at Naruto, startled by what he had said._

"_Why do you ask?" he replied._

"_I think I'm going to die"_

Sasuke looked around him, as if startled by where he was and how he had gotten there.

Then he started to scream.

* * *

Sasuke woke to find himself on the grass, the sun was still shinning and a gently breeze was blowing, he couldn't remember what happened.

"Feeling better?" a voice asked.

Sasuke looked over and saw that it was his old teacher, sitting in the tree, and reading his ever present orange book.

He looked away, he didn't want to me that's man's eyes, nowadays everyone in his mind was an enemy.'They just don't understand anything! Everything that I had left, I let slip from my grasp….'

"I doubt that I will every feel better to tell you the truth, so I kind of wish people would just stop asking me." Sasuke sat up and started to grab his things, he would rather deal with his memories in private.

He heard Kakashi chuckle behind him, "at the risk of incurring more or your lovely wrath, you're letting Naruto down with you actions, so it's time to grow the fuck up Sasuke."

Sasuke turned around in a flash, he slammed his things into the ground and began to stomp towards his former teacher, "and just _**what the fuck**_ would you know about growing up old man! Because you sure as hell are a great example of letting the past go!" He roared grabbing his teacher's shirt and pulling him close to him.

Kakashi glared at him with his visible eye, "I sure as hell try a lot more than your sorry ass! There have been plenty of times I just wanted to give up and die! But you know what stopped me Sasuke!? How could I face them, in the next life, knowing that in this one, I didn't give my all. I think that would be far worse than living without them, I wouldn't be able to meet their eyes from the shame of it all. So until death takes me, I'm going to just live day by day until the end. When you see Naruto again, will you be able to meet his eyes or are you just going to look down in shame." Kakashi sighed and gently pulled the hand holding his shirt, its grip had slacked the more he spoke.

"Sasuke… Naruto didn't die just for you to die too. That's why you gotta try living twice as hard; to make up for the one that Naruto can't have anymore." At this point Sasuke was just looking down at the ground, not saying anything. Deep in his heart he knew what Kakashi was saying was true, but he hadn't wanted to face it then and he certainly didn't want to face it now.

Without saying anything, Sasuke grabbed his things and ran.

"You can't always be running Sasuke! Because we all have to stop at some point, life's no good if your living it tired!" He heard Kakashi yell behind him.

'What he's saying may have a grain of truth to it, but I can run a very long time….' He thought to himself as he sped away.

* * *

The stone looked smooth, with no cracks or damages to it, though there was only one indent in the stone, a name.

NARUTO UZUMAKI.

Sasuke kneeled in front of the grave, noticing the sunflowers and daisies placed in front of it. He gently traced the name with his fingertips, his lips mouthing the name silently and smiling.

"I've never even brought you flowers, huh? I'm not going to lie Naruto, I kinda kept hoping that this is all just a bad dream and I'm going to wake up and you're going to be there, ready to lead me on another stupid adventure. Though I guess I should have woken up a long time ago, though you can't blame me for wanting to sleep. Dreams are always far more pleasant, especially with you there." He shut his eyes as he felt tears welling there. "How long?" he whispered, "until I can be with you again Naruto? I don't like it here; I just want to be with you, so how long must I stay before I can go to you?" He sat there silently, waiting for some sign, even a hint.

Nothing happened.

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Cold shoulder, huh? Don't suppose I can blame you, well I guess I will just have to swing by again and try to warm you to me again." Sasuke stood and dusted of his knees, taking in the sight where the grave was placed on top of the Hokage Mountains, it was a beautiful view, one of Narutos favorites.

He wasn't looking forward to tomorrow, of the day after that, hell, he wasn't even looking forward to the end of _this_ day. But he owed Naruto so, so very much. All the trouble he put him through, and all the time wasted chasing someone who never wanted to be caught in the first place. He rubbed the back of his head, contemplating the future. He laughed when it occurred to him; with the way this world worked he would live to be 102 before someone killed him or he just plain ol'died.

'Naruto would probably be happy if I happened to live so long' Sasuke thought sadly. With one last turn to look at the grave, Sasuke turned around and started to make his way back home, for the first time in a while, he actual felt hungry.

When he got to the bottom of the hill, he looked back, and he didn't know if it was the sun blinding him in its final fight for light, but in the deep oranges and fading yellows, he thought, if only for a moment, he say Naruto. Smiling and waving.

* * *

How did time move so fast…

Where did it go, leaving you behind.

Forever immortal as our golden sun god.

I find that your light, once so bright, has slowly dimmed to only a soft glow.

Yet that glow still lights my darkness.

* * *

Sasuke could only stare at himself in the mirror; his once midnight hair had slowly turned to a soft gray with faint traces of black and his once taunt skin, had given away around his eyes and mouth. Now wrinkles danced across his face, only dimming a little of the handsome youth he had once been. Time had worn him down.

It had been 50 years since Narutos death, and the once smooth stone had finally given in to time and had been worn down by wind and rain. It still stood, but moss had grown on it and now a field of flowers had spread all around it. Though the name was still clear for all to see.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes as they throbbed a little. Over the years his sharingan had started to be harder to use, making his eyesight just a bit fuzzier around the edges then they used to be. He finished getting ready and locked his door, making sure to say goodbye to Naruto at his alter in the living room before leaving.

Sasuke had taken to spending his days taking strolls, his most common one going up the hill to make sure that the grave was fine and to clean off any moss that covered the name. Sasuke didn't really want to admit it but his life hadn't been as bad as he thought it would have been without Naruto. He would be lying if he didn't miss Naruto to death daily, but he found that the sun felt nice on his skin and that the flowers were beautiful. He knew that he had to appreciate the life that he had been given. At first he would do something small, leaving the house for a few hours, then, trying to talk to people more. And finally, stop talking to a Naruto that wasn't really in his head.

That might have been the hardest thing for him, when he stopped hearing the gently whispers, he realized for the first time what true silence was. He hadn't for many night. Ears straining for a voice that wasn't coming back.

With some prodding from Kakashi and full approval from Tsunade, he at times did some one-on-one training with the new students. He still remembered the first time he had come to meet some of them and had spied them acting, he was shocked to realize they were pretending to be him and Naruto.

_One of the boys with lighter brown hair had his sticking up a bit in a poor attempted Sasuke style, while the other, the darker haired child, had his poorly spiked. The hair obviously wanting to lay flat. Another red hair child had his coat tied around his neck like a cape._

"_Come on Sasuke! We can take this guy down!" the dark haired one said dramatically, trying to strike a Naruto-like pose._

'_Sasuke' nodded his head, "y-yeah, we a-a-re go-n-na kick y-yo-u-ur butt w-with our a-a-we-sssome moves!" _

_The 'bad guy' did his best to make a menacing face, but then pouted crossing his arms over his chest. "Why do I have to be the bad guy!? I want to be Naruto this time, Ki is always Naruto!" he whined._

_Ki placed his hands on his hips, "that's because you still can't make a copy yet! Don't you know that you have to be able to make a copy to be Naruto!" he replied putting his hands up dramatically, as if everyone knew that. A few spikes of hair escaped to lay flat._

'_Sasuke' nodded his head to this._

_The real Sasuke couldn't help chuckling at this; he made his appearance after noticing that the red hair child started to look teary._

"_I'm not so sure about that, the real Naruto couldn't make one at first either, so maybe he really should play Naruto." Sasuke said as he strolled into the 'fight'._

_The boy playing Sasuke looked like he was going to faint at the sight of him. "Y-yo-your Sa-sss-Sasuke!" he stuttered out._

_Ki's eyes looked as big as the moon. "That can't be true! My dad told me that Naruto could make 100 clones and that he was super powerful and nothing could stop him and-"Sasuke held up a hand to halt the child._

"_While that is all true and then some, Naruto had very humble beginnings. I would know, seeing as we kind of grew up together." Sasuke winked; surprised at himself to have done that. "listen Ki, we all don't get things right away, but with time and practice, even people who couldn't even do a clone at first can become the next hokage." Sasuke ruffled the redhead kid's hair. _

"_Naruto once told me that the only reason he became as strong as he did was because even when _he _couldn't do a simple clone, someone still believed in him, so instead of putting him down, how about picking him up and helping him out." The boys were all quiet as they shuffled their feet in the grass._

_Ki finally made the first move, "sorry for saying you couldn't play Naruto, I didn't mean anything bad by it. You can play him next time we play"_

_The redhead nodded his head and smiled._

_Sasuke stood up from where he had kneeled next to the child. "Now that that's done, how about some names from you two."_

"_My name is Akagi." The redhead said proudly._

"_M-m-mmy n-name i-is f-fu-y-yu." The brow haired boy said._

_Sasuke nodded his head, "well, I guess I am supposed to teach you or something now, so let's get started."_

Sasuke chuckled at the memories, those boys had long since grown up, from time to time they would stop and visit him telling him of their missions and asking for stories of his and Narutos adventures, they had risen far in the ranks and were anbu's now.

It made him sad, thinking how they reminded him of how he and Naruto were, but that was something that couldn't be helped he supposed.

He continued his walk, going into a grove walking under a lattice of trees, the light peeking through the branches to gently brush his shoulders with warmth.

Time.

It had be cruel, taking some of his and Narutos friends with it along the way, leaving him to wonder why he had been left still, when he had been the most eager to go. He still remembered when Gaara left.

_Gaara had had a kinder death compared to others. Near the end Sasuke had been called to his side, though he didn't have a clue as to why. He and Gaara had never been close, only Naruto being the one to connect them._

_When he walked into the room, he saw the simple white bed with the pale redhead in it. His once vibrant green eyes had slowly lost their luster and only a small sparked stayed in them still. But they were still as sharp as ever, they quickly locked on Sasuke._

"_Sasuke" Gaara rasped out, his voice hoarse. "Thank you for making the trip" a bout of coughing struck Gaara then. He took a gulp of water from the glass next to him on the table, and then continued on. "It seems that I have finally reached the end, this body is just plain worn out from keeping this beast trapped within me." He turned his gaze to the window where the evening sun shined through. "Plus I don't really have anything to tie me here anymore, my only family has long since passed through the decades." Sasuke saw the streaks of gray through the now dull red hair. "I guess the point I am trying to get to I guess is, I am going on ahead of you, is there anything you want to say?"_

_Sasuke knew what he meant by that statement. Was there anything he wanted Gaara to tell Naruto._

_For once, in regards to Naruto, Sasuke was speechless. He did his best to swallow the sudden lump in his throat and looked at Gaara._

"_Just tell him….tell him…" Sasuke took a deep breath that seemed to rattle him to the bones, "I'm gonna do better next time." He himself wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that statement, but Gaara nonetheless seemed to understand. He nodded his head slowly and rested it back on the pillows. He held out his left hand to Sasuke, and Sasuke, not entirely sure what to do, grasped it with his left._

"_Sasuke, thanks for the memories, you were part of the good as well as the bad. But you sure as hell made life interesting!" he laughed, a broken smile breaking through that tough mask. "Let's meet again in the next life too, with Naruto." He whispered. Sasuke could only nod his head._

Gaara had passed the following day, having held on long enough to say his goodbyes and choose his next successor. He had decided to let ichibi go with his death, having long ago made a bond with the beast, all it had really wanted was just to be free.

Having cleared the trees, Sasuke continued up the hill to Hokage Mountain, he felt more tired than normal, even though the day was beautiful and the wind was gently. He smiled at the sight of the grave and the field of color all around it. Over the years, all the flowers seeds from the grave had spread out to make this sight, and near the grave stood a tall tree, its leaves providing shade beneath it. Many years ago Sasuke had bought and planted it, just one of the many things he did to pass away the days. Over the years the tree had grown well, and now it provided him with the spot he now rested under. His bones were aching just a bit more then they normal did.

'A nap wouldn't hurt' he thought as he gently closed his eyes. He laid his linked fingers on his chest and relaxed. The wind gently moved his hair as his breath slowly left him.

He suddenly felt someone sit next to him, and he opened his eyes to see Naruto there, smiling at him. "**Hey Sasuke, took ya long enough.**" He smiled that beautiful smile of his, making the day brighter. Sasuke could only smile back at him as he saw the deep blue eyes that he had fallen in love with long ago.

"Have you been waiting all this time Naruto?" Sasuke asked still lying back against the tree.

"**Yeah, I have. I couldn't go one without you Sasuke. I met everyone else again too…. Kakashi, Tsunade, Sakura and Gaara…"** He looked off into the distance. "**He gave me your message."** Naruto was looking at Sasuke again, very solemn.*

The two just sat there for a while, enjoying the silence as the world seemed to hold its breath for a moment in time.

"Did I do good Naruto?" Sasuke asked quietly breaking what felt to him a lifetime of silence.

"**Yeah"** he said softly, **"all I could've ever wanted and more."** He suddenly stood up and held out his hand to Sasuke.

Sasuke took it, a smooth young hand grabbing Narutos. Suddenly his bones didn't hurt as much as they had and his once wrinkled skin was taut and showed him in the prime of his youth. His once fuzzy sight was crystal clear as he gazed at Naruto. **"Hey Naruto, this time, let's get it right" **Sasuke said, revealing a huge smile. Naruto only nodded, taking a stronger grip on his hand as they slowly walked away, fading into the beautiful golden sky. Only leaving behind the now empty being of who Sasuke once was, with a peaceful smile on his face.

* * *

Many years passed since then and now on top of the hill, there are two grave stones worn down and faded through the decades, surrounded with a field of flowers and shaded by a giant tree. It is the favorite spot of two young boys, one dark haired and one blond, you can often see them standing under the shade of the tree, holding hands admiring the view…

* * *

* watch?v=e4EqjvnWfRM I recommend listening to this at * - this part


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